Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni tones down his criticism

Two days after his critical comments on the Lakers, coach Mike D'Antoni suddenly changed his mind on seemingly everything regarding his team.

The Lakers' 103-100 loss to Washington on Friday left him griping about the team's inconsistent ball movement and poor defense on Trevor Ariza, two qualities presumably aimed at Kobe Bryant.

Bryant facilitated the offense before taking over in the fourth quarter while leaving Ariza open on nearly every shot. D'Antoni all but said Bryant's name when pressed about the stalled ball movement.

"That's a good question. What, are you gonna throw me a piece of dynamite?" he said.

D'Antoni's criticism apparently wasn't explosive.

"I'm talking about everybody," D'Antoni said Sunday. "To say one is more guilty than the other? No. It doesn't really matter.

"It's 'The Lakers screwed up.'"

The Lakers (36-34) enter tonight's game against the Golden State Warriors (40-31) at Oracle Arena with a 11/2-game lead over the Utah Jazz (34-35) for the eighth playoff spot.

"I'm just happy to get into the playoffs. I don't care what (seed) it is," D'Antoni said. "If we play to our max (potential), I'm not afraid of anybody."

He suggested otherwise after the Wizards' loss.

"If we don't change, we obviously won't make the playoffs," D'Antoni said. "But if we do, then we'll get blown out of the playoffs."

What gives?

"You have so much adrenaline going in you that it's tough not to be like that," he said. "I'm mad at myself, I'm mad at the coaches, I'm mad at the players.

"We're all mad. We all have to do a better job."

D'Antoni said the main areas include limiting turnovers and making the "easy pass," a factor he believes mainly contributes to Dwight Howard's inconsistent field-goal attempts. Howard had zero shots in the fourth quarter against Washington after scoring 20 points.

"He has to have the ball," D'Antoni said. "If you make the easy play, the ball will find him. We just don't do that."

How does Howard handle that?

"I just have to go back on the defensive end, make a stop, help my teammates out and not get frustrated," he said. "Whatever happens, I'll continue to play my game."

D'Antoni vows he will "try to pick spots" in expressing his emotions "because you can't just be a mad man all the time." That's why the Lakers ended Sunday's practice huddling up and yelling "championship" two days after D'Antoni called the routine "laughable," considering the team's play.

Jamison to play

Despite an MRI showing a strain and built-up scar tissue in his right wrist, Antawn Jamison vows that won't keep him sidelined when the Lakers play today against the Warriors.

Jamison practiced Sunday in only the Lakers' non-contact drills to avoid experiencing further damage to his wrist. He wore kinesio tape along his wrist, a device that helps strengthen the muscles. Jamison also will wear a brace and receive ice and electronic muscle stimulation.